Hydrangea plant named ‘SMNHPPINKA’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘SMNHPPINKA’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; strong and sturdy stems; freely flowering habit; showy inflorescences with sterile flowers that are initially white in color and becoming hot pink to red in color; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMNHPPINKA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Hydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea paniculata and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SMNHPPINKA’.

The new Hydrangea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new early-flowering Hydrangea plants with strong stems and large and attractive inflorescences.

The new Hydrangea plant originated from an open-pollination in July, 2004 of Hydrangea paniculata ‘Little Lamb’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,395, as the female, or seed parent and an unknown selection of Hydrangea paniculata as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hydrangea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. in July, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hydrangea plant by softwood cuttings in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since June, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SMNHPPINKA’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SMNHPPINKA’ as a new and distinct Hydrangea plant:

-   -   1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Strong and sturdy stems.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Showy inflorescences with sterile flowers that are initially         white in color and becoming hot pink to red in color.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Little Lamb’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are larger than plants of ‘Little         Lamb’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have stronger stems than plants         of ‘Little Lamb’.     -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea and ‘Little Lamb’ differ in         sterile flower color as plants of ‘Little Lamb’ have         pink-colored sterile flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,874. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Hydrangea differed primarily from plants of ‘Limelight’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea were more compact than plants of         ‘Limelight’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea and ‘Limelight’ differed in         sterile flower color as plants of ‘Limelight’ had light         green-colored sterile flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new Hydrangea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘SMNHPPINKA’ growing in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical fully developed inflorescence of ‘SMNHPPINKA’.

Plants used in the photographs were three years old.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the following description were grown during the summer in three-gallon containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Hydrangea production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. Plants of the new Hydrangea were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. Plants were overwintered in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea paniculata ‘SMNHPPINKA’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Hydrangea paniculata ‘Little Lamb’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,395.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Hydrangea             paniculata, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             months at temperatures about 24° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness; fibrous; creamy white             to brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial deciduous shrub;             upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; broad             inverted triangle; strong and sturdy lateral branches;             freely branching habit with about 27 lateral branches             developing per plant; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 65 cm.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 71.5 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 33 cm. Diameter: About 2 cm.             Internode length: About 1 cm to 3 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Aspect: Erect to             outwardly leaning. Color, developing and developed: Close to             200C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 10 cm.         -   Width.—About 5.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A             slightly overlain with close to 145B. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to 139A; venation, close to 145A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; slight             spotting, close to 165C; venation, close to 145C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper             surface: Close to 145A. Color, lower surface: Close to 145C. -   Inflorescence & flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single sterile and fertile flowers             arranged on large terminal panicles; flowers face upright             and outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from mid-July             until October in Grand Haven, Mich.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 51             fertile flowers and about 150 sterile flowers develop per             inflorescence.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 12.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 11.75 cm.         -   Flower diameter, fertile flowers.—About 3 mm.         -   Flower depth (height), fertile flowers.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower diameter, sterile flowers.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Flower depth (height), sterile flowers.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower buds, fertile flowers.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Shape: Orbicular, lobed. Color: Close to 155B             tinted with close to 145C.         -   Flower buds, sterile flowers.—Length: About 1.2 mm.             Diameter: About 1.2 mm. Shape: Orbicular, lobed. Color:             Close to 155B overlain with close to 145C.         -   Petals, fertile flowers.—Arrangement: Four in a single             whorl. Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 1.25 mm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 145A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 145C; towards the margins, close to 145B.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 145A; becoming closer             to 145B with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 145B; becoming closer to 145C with development.         -   Petals, sterile flowers.—Arrangement: Four in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:             Elliptic to ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Rounded to slightly             acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 145A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 145B. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155C.         -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity per flower: Five in a             single whorl. Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:             Fused. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 145A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 145C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 145A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 145B.         -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity per flower: Four in a             single whorl. Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 1.9 cm.             Shape: Elliptical to obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse to             slightly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 145A. When opening, lower surface: Close             to 145B. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             155A; with development, color becoming closer to 66B and             then fading to close to 178A.         -   Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter:             About 1 mm. Angle: About 15° to 120° from inflorescence             axis. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Texture: Slightly pubescent.             Color: Close to 146A.         -   Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter:             About 1.5 mm. Angle: Erect to about 45° from inflorescence             axis. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Texture: Slightly pubescent.             Color: Close to 146C.         -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per             flower: About five. Filament length: About 0.75 mm. Filament             color: Close to 145A. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther             length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen             amount: None observed. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped.             Stigma color: Close to 145A. Style length: About 0.75 mm.             Style color: Close to 145A. Ovary color: Close to 155A and             145B.         -   Reproductive organs, sterile flowers.—Stamens: Quantity per             flower: About five. Filament length: About 0.75 mm. Filament             color: Close to 145A. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther             length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen             amount: None observed. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped.             Stigma color: Close to 145A. Style length: About 0.75 mm.             Style color: Close to 145A. Ovary color: Close to 155A and             145B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Hydrangea. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hydrangea     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been observed     to have good garden performance by exhibiting good tolerance to rain     and wind; to be resistant to sun scald; and to tolerate temperatures     ranging from about −32° C. to about 36° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘SMNHPPINKA’ as illustrated and described. 